Father Christmas Is Back

Father Christmas Is Back

Four sisters – Caroline, Joanna, Paulina, and Vicky – reunite for the Christmas Holiday in a Yorkshire mansion. However, their estranged father, James, joins in for the first time since he left the family behind decades prior. The group attempts to get through the holiday despite comedic misunderstandings, while also uncovering the long-buried secret that tore their family apart, so many years ago.

  • Released: 2021-11-07
  • Runtime: 105 minutes
  • Genre: Comedy, Family
  • Stars: Nathalie Cox, Talulah Riley, Elizabeth Hurley, Kelsey Grammer, John Cleese, Caroline Quentin, April Bowlby, Kris Marshall, Ray Fearon, Katy Brand, Ania Marson, Naomi Frederick, Amelie Prescott, Janie Booth, Bryan Samson
  • Director: Philippe Martinez, Mick Davis
 Comments
  • lundbomjster - 30 December 2023
    This was painful
    I _love_ stupid Christmas movies, so disappointing me with one is difficult. I forgive a LOT of cinema sins if they come with a good helping of Christmas cheer.

    So when I tell you, I nearly threw my remote at the teve, please be aware that this was not because it was insipid, overwrought or had characters that act against all human behaviour. Because while those things are all true about this film, they are also true about a hundred Christmas movies I have not hated despite all those faults.

    But none of those movies have a character who is the whole cluster B in a trenchcoat as the stupid, unrealistic and boring catalyst of Xmas shenanigans.

    Poor Tallulah Riley did not deserve having to put "Vicky" on her CV. I'm not familiar with a lot of her work and I don't know if she's a good person, but surely she deserved a character at least a little more lovable than Ed Gein?

    And why is this movie so LONG? It has nothing to say, not even "Merry Christmas" so why does it keep talking at me?

    You can either make a movie about genuinely awful people or you can make a Christmas movie. You need some form of warmth and humanity underpinning your story, even if it is unrealistic and silly.

    I understand the instinct to cash in on the Christmas Movie lovers' well established high tolerance for pap and write-by-numbers scripts written on the back of cocktail napkins but "Vicky" is just one insult too far. Only another sociopath would find that character compelling.

    I don't know who wrote this and I don't intend to find out. I can't imagine anything good would come from knowing who did this to my boxing day breakfast.
  • Kingslaay - 26 November 2023
    Pitiful
    Despite boasting a recognisable cast like John Cleese, Kelsey Grammer & Liz Hurley this film sadly falls flat. The plot, acting and direction is abysmal. This is a chore to get through. The only selling and strong point is Christmas itself. I am quite frustrated that films have a flimsy or close to no plot and rely on Christmas to be subject itself. The best Christmas films use the setting and evoke the spirit of Christmas well but still rely on a strong story line or plot. This is sadly absent in a lot of films that fall flat. Father Christmas Is Back is overall a pitiful mess that leaves a lot to be desired.
  • janeu-38908 - 23 December 2022
    Tongue in Cheek CHRISTMAS Comedy
    I thought this was pretty Funny and Heartwarming in the WEIRDEST way.

    This movie is all over the place. It's a Comedy that throws in some Heart all while WAY OVERACTING on purpose.

    THIS CAST? Who would EVER put these people together...they seem like they just wouldn't fit but they do. The Acting is fabulously overdone in this Tongue in Cheek Comedy.

    We sure have seen a lot of Kelsey Grammar this year. I just read that there's another "CHRISTMAS FAMILY " Film 2 to this movie!

    I'll def give it a watch.

    This movie had a bit of a slow start for me but I suddenly got sucked in and realised these Characters were Caricatures of themselves. Always love John Cleese!
  • TheLittleSongbird - 12 July 2022
    Christmas with the Christmas family
    The negative reviews, and from trusted critics that are held with admiration by me, really did dampen my expectations prior to watching 'Father Christmas is Back'. It was still watched however as someone who loves Christmas films and because of loving various members of the cast. Particularly Kelsey Grammer, John Cleese and Caroline Quentin. Was absolutely determined to at least like this film and have been known to go against the grain and find panned films not that bad or acclaimed films not that great.

    'Father Christmas is Back' unfortunately for me was as bad as has been said and the criticisms it's garnered are deserved. One of my biggest peeves is waste of talent and there is some great talent wasted and badly, which does infuriate me actually. Is it the worst Christmas film in existence? No. But there were times where it did come dangerously close to being down there and of the Christmas films seen recently it is definitely one of the very worst. That is being said with regret.

    Despite being a very, very poor film, there are redeeming merits. There are some nice shots and some nice scenery.

    Quentin gives the best performance, being the only person who seems to know what type of film she's in without going over the top. Kris Marshall does play it straight quite effectively.

    All that cannot be said for the rest of the cast. Elizabeth Hurley comes off worst, even in a film that can be quite campy she does overact embarrassingly. As does Nathalie Cox, if her goal was to make her character insufferably irritating she succeeded. Then we have Grammer, who seems to be sleepwalking and misses the chance to give the film any real heart, while Ray Fearon also gives up too early in an underwritten and borderline pointless role. Didn't care for any of the characters, with Hurley and Cox's being incredibly annoying. The chemistry also seems awkward.

    Furthermore, the script is full of incredibly forced attempts at humour, the campiness reaching fever pitch bizarre levels, and the moments that are meant to be more heartfelt come over as too over sentimental. The gags are too few and all land with a thud, due to their predictability and how really forced they are. The story is very flimsy and what not enough there is is very predictable and dully paced. Too many things happen too conveniently too. The music is also unbearably schmaltzy sounding and is completely at odds with the film's tone. The direction is barely there.

    Overall, very, very poor. 2/10.
  • ingelarussin - 25 December 2021
    They sex-shame every woman character??
    Like every single one of them in different ways.. This felt truly distasteful and uncomfortable. All the women characters are without depth, very cliche and act stupidly. The men are chill and avoid responsibility except for being wonderful fathers, from now on of course! Hurrah give them a prize! Wild theory, it's the fantasy of an old man who doesn't understand why his family is fed up with his bulls.